Category: Special

Venkat Raman Indians around the world will mark the independence of their motherland on August 15. Festivities would include flag hoisting, rendition of patriotic songs, cultural programmes, ‘at home’ parties and much more. Notwithstanding the oft-repeated criticism that successive federal governments have failed to address the real issues and lift the teeming millions from their subsistence levels, the progress achieved…

Michael Wood Namaste! Jai Hind! Congratulations and Warm Greetings to the Indian Community in New Zealand on the occasion of the 71st Anniversary of Indian Independence. Every year on August 15, the Indian Diaspora scattered all over the globe proudly celebrates the day India won its freedom after centuries of British rule. It was not a freedom that was handed…

Indians perhaps understand independence and appreciate its value better than anyone else in the world; for, it was obtained after protracted struggle and the right to express is constantly practiced, even on empty stomach. Such is the passion for individual liberty that for 71 years the country and its people have constantly battled forces of division and derision, intransigence and…

Venkat Raman This article may be seen as an anachronism and as a thorn in the flesh of bilateral relations and as antithetical by some self-styled community and business leaders but an honest analysis of the Indo-Kiwi relationship- or the dormancy of it – is always intended to raise issues, in the solution of which, there could be a more…

Reclaiming, Restoring Fiji’s distorted History Book Review by Thakur Ranjit Singh Rajendra Prasad’s second book on Fiji’s untold history was launched by Indian High Commissioner Sanjiv Kohli at New Lynn Community Centre, Auckland on Sunday, August 12, 2018. ‘Enslaved in Paradise: A History of Mammoth Betrayals of Fijians by the British, Chiefs and leaders of Fiji, 1876-2006,’ attempts to restore,…

Kavitha Muralidharan On July 29, 2018, Ninety-four-year-old Muthuvel Karunanidhi completed half a century as the President of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) – a rare feat by any measure. Or perhaps not so rare for the man who has been the Chief Minister for five terms, an MLA for six decades and someone who’s written over 200,000 pages over his…

Padmalatha Dev The Bharata Natyam Arangetram of 13-year-old Sreenidhi held on July 22, 2018 was an evening of delight. She began with poise and composure with three initial items, ‘Pushpanjali’ composed by Balamuralikrishna in Ragam Arabhi and Thalam Aadi; ‘Virutham Malayalam,’ KKS Iyer in Ragamalika on Ayyapan; followed by ‘Allarippu’ in Ekadesha Thalam. In each of these, the young artiste…

Rajen Zed Upset Hindus are urging multinational retail corporation Walmart to immediately withdraw ‘Ganesh Toe Ring’ from Walmart.com, calling it highly inappropriate. Lord Ganesh was highly revered in Hinduism and was meant to be worshipped in temples or home shrines and not to adorn one’s toe. Inappropriate usage of Hindu deities or concepts or symbols for commercial or other agenda…

Venkat Raman Alisha Farrer, a rising star of the Indian film industry was at her sartorial best as an Indian Bride at an event recently held in Perth, Western Australia. As a thespian with a record of more than one box-office hit even as her career was launched in Mumbai, stole the show as more than 700 men and women…

Venkat Raman Lovers of Hindi and Urdu poetry and ghazals can dwell into the world of literature next month in Auckland as a special event gets going. Urdu Hindi Cultural Association of Auckland is organising the event called ‘Mushaira, Kavi Sammelan and Sham-e-Ghazal’ on Saturday, September 1, 2018 at Fickling Convention Centre, 546 Mt Albert Road, Three Kings, Auckland. Promoting…